PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS AUGUST 10-13, 2007 NEWS INTEREST INDEX OMNIBUS SURVEY FINAL TOPLINE N=1020 Q.1 Can you tell me the name of the person you ve heard the most about in the news lately? [PROBE IF NECESSARY: Just the name that comes to mind FIRST when you think about who s been in the news lately] [OPEN-END, RECORD FIRST MENTION ONLY] June 29- May 18-21, March 30- Feb. 16-19, July 2, 2007 2007 April 2, 2007 2007 32 George W. Bush 29 39 36 28 8 Hillary Clinton 4 3 3 3 5 Lindsay Lohan 4 Paris Hilton 26 7 4 Barry Bonds 1 4 Barack Obama 3 3 2 3 3 Britney Spears 1 2 1 3 Trapped Utah miners 2 Karl Rove 2 Merv Griffin 2 Michael Vick 1 Mitt Romney 1 1 Tiger Woods 1 Rudy Giuliani 1 15 Other 13 Don t know/ Q.2 As I read a list of some stories covered by news organizations this past week, tell me if you happened to follow each news story very closely, fairly closely, not too closely, or not at all closely. First, [INSERT ITEM; RANDOMIZE ITEMS] [IF NECESSARY Did you follow [ITEM] very closely, fairly closely, not too closely or not at all closely? ] a. News about the current situation and events in Iraq 36 37 14 13 *= August 3-6, 2007 29 40 19 12 *= July 27-30, 2007 28 36 19 16 1= July 20-23, 2007 28 34 21 16 1= July 13-16, 2007 25 41 17 16 1= July 6-9, 2007 36 34 18 12 *= June 29-July 2, 2007 32 35 19 13 1= June 22-25, 2007 30 36 18 15 1= June 15-18, 2007 30 37 20 13 *= June 8-11, 2007 32 38 15 14 1= June 1-4, 2007 30 36 20 13 1= May 24-27, 2007 33 36 18 12 1= May 18-21, 2007 36 34 15 14 1= May 11-14, 2007 30 34 18 17 1= May 4-7, 2007 38 37 15 10 *= April 27-30, 2007 27 35 21 16 1= April 20-23, 2007 28 35 22 15 *= 1
April 12-16, 2007 34 33 20 13 *= April 5-9, 2007 33 39 16 11 1= March 30-April 2, 2007 34 37 16 13 *= March 23-26, 2007 1 31 38 18 12 1= March 16-19, 2007 34 34 17 15 *= March 9-12, 2007 34 37 16 13 *= March 2-5, 2007 37 37 16 9 1= February 23-26, 2007 36 36 15 13 *= February 16-19, 2007 30 36 19 14 1= February 9-12, 2007 37 34 18 11 *= February 2-5, 2007 38 38 17 7 *= January 26-29, 2007 36 38 15 11 *= January 19-22, 2007 37 34 18 10 1= January 12-15, 2007 38 36 17 8 1= January, 2007 46 40 8 5 1= January 5-8, 2007 40 32 16 12 0= December, 2006 42 39 12 7 *= November 30-December 3, 2006 40 36 13 11 *= Mid-November, 2006 44 38 12 6 *= September, 2006 33 43 14 8 2= August, 2006 41 39 12 7 1= June, 2006 37 43 13 6 1= May, 2006 42 35 15 7 1= April, 2006 43 36 13 7 1= March, 2006 43 38 12 6 1= February, 2006 39 42 12 6 1= January, 2006 40 40 12 7 1= December, 2005 45 38 11 5 1= Early November, 2005 41 40 13 6 *= Early October, 2005 43 36 15 6 *= Early September, 2005 32 40 20 7 1= July, 2005 43 37 13 6 1= Mid-May, 2005 42 42 11 5 *= Mid-March, 2005 40 39 14 5 2= February, 2005 38 45 13 4 *= January, 2005 48 37 11 4 *= December, 2004 34 44 15 6 1= Mid-October, 2004 42 38 11 8 1= Early September, 2004 47 37 9 6 1= August, 2004 39 42 12 6 1= July, 2004 43 40 11 6 *= June, 2004 39 42 12 6 1= April, 2004 54 33 8 5 *= Mid-March, 2004 47 36 12 4 1= Early February, 2004 47 38 10 4 1= Mid-January, 2004 48 39 9 4 *= December, 2003 44 38 11 6 1= November, 2003 52 33 9 5 1= September, 2003 50 33 10 6 1= Mid-August, 2003 45 39 10 5 1= Early July, 2003 37 41 13 8 1= 1 From May, 2003 to March 23-26, 2007, the story was listed as News about the current situation in Iraq. 2
June, 2003 46 35 13 6 *= May, 2003 63 29 6 2 *= April 11-16, 2003 2 47 40 10 2 1= April 2-7, 2003 54 34 9 2 1= March 20-24, 2003 57 33 7 2 1= March 13-16, 2003 3 62 27 6 4 1= February, 2003 62 25 8 4 1= January, 2003 55 29 10 4 2= December, 2002 51 32 10 6 1= Late October, 2002 53 33 8 5 1= Early October, 2002 60 28 6 5 1= Early September, 2002 4 48 29 15 6 2= b. The six trapped Utah coal miners 36 35 14 15 *= TREND FOR COMPARISON: August 3-6, 2007: The bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis, Minnesota 41 39 14 6 *= January, 2006: The death of 12 miners in a West Virginia coal mine 47 33 11 8 1= November, 2001: Crash of an American Airlines plane near JFK Airport in New York 48 34 13 4 1= February, 2000: Crash of an Alaskan Airlines jet near Los Angeles 35 40 17 8 *= June, 1999: Crash of an American Airlines flight in Arkansas 19 38 25 17 1= March, 1999: The derailment of an Amtrak train in Illinois 31 39 19 11 *= February 1996: Recent train crashes in Maryland, Colorado and New Jersey 24 40 24 11 1= September, 1993: Amtrak train wreck in Alabama 40 37 15 7 1= c. Reports about the condition of the U.S. economy 28 36 18 18 *= Mid-November, 2006 31 40 17 11 1= December, 2005 35 35 18 11 1= Early November, 2005 35 39 17 9 *= Mid-May, 2005 30 39 19 11 1= January, 2005 35 41 17 7 *= Mid-October, 2004 30 43 16 10 1= Early September, 2004 39 34 15 11 1= Mid-January, 2004 37 41 15 7 *= December, 2003 35 38 14 11 2= November, 2003 40 34 15 10 1= October, 2003 32 39 16 12 1= September, 2003 39 30 18 12 1= March, 2003 40 35 16 8 1= February, 2003 42 33 15 10 *= 2 3 4 From March 20-24, 2003 to April 11-16, 2003, the story was listed as News about the war in Iraq. From Early October, 2002, to March 13-16, 2003, the story was listed as Debate over the possibility that the U.S. will take military action in Iraq. In Early September, 2002, the story was listed as Debate over the possibility that the U.S. will invade Iraq. 3
January, 2003 40 35 13 11 1= December, 2002 38 34 17 10 1= February, 2002 35 40 15 9 1= January, 2002 30 44 16 9 1= December, 2001 37 40 13 8 2= Mid-November, 2001 41 36 15 7 1= June, 2001 24 41 18 16 1= May, 2001 34 36 15 15 0= April, 2001 36 34 16 13 1= February, 2001 30 39 18 12 1= January, 2001 32 38 17 11 2= June, 1995 26 41 22 11 *= March, 1995 27 45 19 9 *= February, 1995 23 41 22 13 1= December, 1994 28 43 20 9 *= October, 1994 27 40 20 12 1= June, 1994 25 42 23 10 *= May, 1994 33 40 16 10 1= January, 1994 34 39 16 10 1= Early January, 1994 36 44 13 7 *= December, 1993 35 41 15 8 1= October, 1993 33 38 20 9 *= September, 1993 37 40 14 8 1= Early September, 1993 39 39 14 9 *= August, 1993 41 36 14 9 *= May, 1993 37 38 18 6 1= February, 1993 49 36 10 5 *= January, 1993 42 39 12 7 *= September, 1992 43 37 13 6 1= May, 1992 39 39 15 6 1= March, 1992 47 38 11 4 *= February, 1992 47 37 10 6 *= January, 1992 44 40 11 5 *= October, 1991 36 38 16 9 1= d. Barry Bonds breaking the all time homerun record 12 23 23 42 *= TREND FOR COMPARISON: March, 2005: Recent reports of steroid use by some Major League Baseball players 18 34 24 23 1= December, 2004: Recent reports of steroid use by some Major League Baseball players 22 28 23 27 0= September, 1998: The attempt by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa to break Roger Maris' home run record 33 26 18 23 * August, 1998: The attempt by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa to break Roger Maris' home run record 18 19 18 44 1= e. The hot weather this summer and its impact on the country 33 29 21 17 *= February16-19, 2007 5 30 33 18 18 1= 5 For February 16-19, 2007 the story was listed as Cold winter weather and snowstorms in the Northeast and Midwest. For February 9-12, 2007 the story was listed as Cold winter weather. For January 19-22, 2007 the story was listed as Snow and ice storms in 4
Feb 9-12, 2007 36 36 15 13 *= Jan 19-22, 2007 31 32 22 14 1= Jan 5-8, 2007 24 30 25 21 *= January, 2001 42 31 15 11 1= January, 1999 37 34 17 12 *= Early December, 1998 39 35 13 12 1= January, 1994 51 30 12 7 *= f. News about candidates for the 2008 presidential election 23 32 21 24 *= August 3-6, 2007 19 31 25 25 *= July 27-30, 2007 19 32 22 26 1= July 20-23, 2007 16 26 30 27 1= July 13-16, 2007 17 29 27 27 *= July 6-9, 2007 24 29 24 22 1= June 29-July 2, 2007 20 32 25 23 *= June 22-25, 2007 18 31 21 30 *= June 15-18, 2007 17 32 26 25 *= June 8-11, 2007 19 30 24 26 1= June 1-4, 2007 16 27 32 24 1= May 24-27, 2007 22 33 23 22 *= May 18-21, 2007 18 31 24 27 *= May 11-14, 2007 18 30 23 28 1= May 4-7, 2007 23 34 21 21 1= April 27-30, 2007 14 30 29 26 1= April 20-23, 2007 18 28 27 27 *= April 12-16, 2007 18 28 27 27 *= April 5-9, 2007 25 30 26 19 *= March 30-April 2, 2007 20 29 27 23 1= March 23-26, 2007 20 32 22 26 *= March 16-19, 2007 15 28 29 27 1= March 9-12, 2007 24 30 23 23 *= March 2-5, 2007 19 31 26 23 1= February 23-26, 2007 22 33 24 21 *= February 16-19, 2007 18 32 22 27 1= February 9-12, 2007 24 30 24 21 1= February 2-5, 2007 24 36 22 18 *= January 26-29, 2007 24 33 23 20 *= January 19-22, 2007 6 24 27 22 26 1= 2004 Presidential Election November, 2004 (RVs) 52 36 8 4 *= Mid-October, 2004 46 30 12 11 1= August, 2004 32 38 16 14 *= July, 2004 29 37 18 15 1= April, 2004 31 33 19 16 1= Mid-March, 2004 35 34 18 13 *= Late February, 2004 24 40 23 12 1= Early February, 2004 7 29 37 20 13 1= 6 some parts of the country. For January 5-8, 2007 the story was listed as Winter snowstorms in the western U.S. In January 2001 the story was listed as Cold winter weather and storms in the Northeast and Midwest. In January 1999 the story was listed as Cold winter weather and storms in the Midwest. In December, 1998 the story was listed as Unseasonable weather patterns. In January 1994 the story was listed as News about cold weather conditions in the Northeast and Midwest. January 19-22, 2007 asked about Recent announcements by prominent Democrats about plans to run for president in 2008. 5
Mid-January, 2004 16 30 27 26 1= Early January, 2004 14 32 30 23 1= December, 2003 16 26 27 30 1= November, 2003 11 26 34 28 1= October, 2003 12 27 28 32 1= September, 2003 17 25 30 27 1= Mid-August, 2003 12 27 27 33 1= May, 2003 8 19 31 41 1= January, 2003 14 28 29 28 1= 2000 Presidential Election Early November, 2000 (RVs) 39 44 12 5 *= Mid-October, 2000 (RVs) 40 37 15 8 *= Early October, 2000 (RVs) 42 36 15 6 1= September, 2000 22 42 21 15 *= July, 2000 21 38 20 20 1= June, 2000 23 32 23 21 1= May, 2000 18 33 26 23 *= April, 2000 18 39 22 20 1= March, 2000 26 41 19 13 1= February, 2000 26 36 21 17 *= January, 2000 19 34 28 18 1= December, 1999 16 36 24 23 1= October, 1999 17 32 28 22 1= September, 1999 15 31 33 20 1= July, 1999 15 38 24 22 1= June, 1999 11 25 29 34 1= 1996 Presidential Election November, 1996 (RVs) 34 45 15 6 *= October, 1996 31 39 18 12 *= Early September, 1996 24 36 23 17 *= July, 1996 22 40 23 14 1= March, 1996 26 41 20 13 *= January, 1996 10 34 31 24 1= September, 1995 12 36 30 22 *= August, 1995 13 34 28 25 *= June, 1995 11 31 31 26 1= 1992 Presidential Election October, 1992 (RVs) 55 36 7 2 0= September, 1992 (RVs) 47 36 11 6 *= August, 1992 (RVs) 36 51 11 2 0= July, 1992 20 45 26 9 *= May, 1992 32 44 16 8 *= March, 1992 35 40 16 9 *= January, 1992 11 25 36 27 1= December, 1991 10 28 32 30 *= 7 From May 2003 to Early February 2004 and in March 1992, the story was listed as The race for the Democratic nomination. In January 2003, the story was listed as Recent announcements by prominent Democrats about plans to run for president in 2004. In September 2000, Early September and July 1996, and May 1992, the question asked about the presidential election campaign. In January, March and April 1996, the story was listed as News about the Republican presidential candidates. In August 1992, the story was listed as News about the presidential election. In July 1992, the story was listed as News about the presidential campaign. In January 1992, the story was listed as News about the Democratic candidates for the presidential nomination. In 1988, the story was introduced as being from this past year and was listed as News about the presidential campaign in 1988. 6
1988 Presidential Election October, 1988 (RVs) 43 44 11 2 *= August, 1988 (RVs) 39 45 13 3 *= May, 1988 22 46 23 6 3= November, 1987 15 28 35 21 1= September, 1987 14 34 37 14 1= Q.2 Which ONE of the stories I just mentioned have you followed most closely, or is there another story you ve been following MORE closely? 28 The six trapped Utah coal miners 16 News about the current situation and events in Iraq 11 News about candidates for the 2008 presidential election 9 Reports about the condition of the U.S. economy 8 The hot weather this summer and its impact on the country 7 Barry Bonds breaking the all time home run record 15 Some other story (SPECIFY) 6 Don t Know/ Now thinking about the trapped Utah coal miners Q.4 In general, how would you rate the job the press has done in covering the trapped miners [READ]? 21 Excellent 47 Good 18 Only fair 7 Poor 7 Don t know/ [VOL. DO NOT READ] Q.5 Do you think news organizations are giving too much, too little, or the right amount of coverage to this story? 16 Too much 14 Too little 63 Right amount 7 Don t know/ 7